TailorMadeHell.... Having shot them side by side with several other like rifles, I can say that the recoil is not bad at all. A bit less than the O3 springfield, a bit more than the Lee Enfield 30, or so it seemed. The recoil monster of the bunch was the Mosin Nagant Carbine. The K98 shoots BEAUTIFULLY! I wish I weren't saving for a couple other choices right now or one of these would be mine!